1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to conveying workpieces with an air stream and, in particular, to an improved system, method, and apparatus for handling workpieces in a food grade environment with an air-propelled conveyor.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the prior art, equipment for handling workpieces, such as bottle caps, in a food grade environment typically comprises rectangular channels for distributing air to convey the workpieces. The channels are usually formed from stainless steel and inherently comprise numerous locations in which different forms of potential contamination (e.g., bacteria) may collect and settle, such as hinges, nested spots, and pit-like locations. In addition, the equipment is required to withstand many frequent cleaning operations over its life span, such as exposure to high temperatures, harsh cleaning agents (e.g., chemical caustic baths), etc., which can corrode the stainless steel material used to form the equipment. Moreover, it is time consuming to disassemble prior art designs for such cleaning operations because of the numerous parts and fasteners. Furthermore, any workpiece disruptions in the conveyor line during operation are difficult to access to correct the disruptions. Thus, an improved system for handling workpieces in a food grade environment with an air-propelled conveyor would be desirable.